Shrinks on the Brink

Austin and Kellie
  • 5.0 (11)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

Shrinks on the Brink is a mental health podcast where Kellie and Austin talk life, burnout, and the beautifully messy in-between - all with a dash of humor, a heap or honesty, and the occasional "wait, should we be saying this?" Because yes, we're licensed... but we're also low key losing it.

  1. 5d ago

    The "S" Word: A Conversation We Can't Avoid

    *Trigger Warning* Suicide is one of the hardest things to talk about - and one of the conversations we believe we need to have. In this episode, we're talking openly and compassionately about suicide: warning signs, common myths, how to ask someone directly if they're thinking about suicide, what to do when the answer is yes, and how to support someone without trying to carry the entire weight of their crisis yourself. We also talk about the people left behind - the complicated grief, guilt, anger, questions, and healing that can follow a suicide loss. This is a conversation about understanding, prevention, connection, and what we can actually do when someone is struggling. Because talking about suicide doesn't have to create fear or hopelessness. Sometimes, talking about it is how we remind someone that they don't have to carry it alone. If you or someone you know is struggling or experiencing thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If there is immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

  2. Sep 29

    The Energy You Surround Yourself With

    Have you ever noticed that you seem to become a completely different version of yourself depending on who you're around? Some people bring out your confidence, your humor, your calm. Others seem to bring out your insecurity, irritability, anxiety, or chaos. So... is that just "energy," or is there actually some psychology behind it? In this episode, we're getting into the people and environments that shape us - emotional contagion, social learning, relationships, boundaries, and the surprisingly complicated question of how much of who we are is influenced by the people around us. Because maybe the better question isn't, "Is their energy good or bad?" Maybe it's: Who do you become around them? Welcome to the spiral.

  3. Sep 22

    Kindness: The Free Mental Health Hack (aka - Don't be a D*ck)

    What if the smallest act of kindness you've ever given - or received - had a bigger psychological impact than you realized? In this episode of Shrinks on the Brink, we're diving into the psychology behind kindness: why small moments can stick with us for years, how kindness and social connection are linked to well-being, and why helping others can help us, too. But we're also getting into the complicated stuff. Because kindness isn't the same things as people-pleasing. It doesn't mean saying yes to everyone, avoiding conflict, forgiving people who hurt you, or becoming a human doormat. We talk about kindness with boundaries and compassion without self-abandonment. We also explore self-compassion, the surprisingly hard task of extending kindness toward ourselves, and the practice of loving-kindness meditation. And maybe the biggest takeaway? You may have no idea how much a tiny moment of kindness mattered to someone else. You might even be someone's kindness story. So grab your coffee, get comfortable, and welcome to the spiral! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes and is not a substitute for therapy or individualized mental health care.

  4. Sep 15

    Your Brain is Lying to You: The Memories we don't actually Remember

    Do you actually remember that... or do you just remember the picture? In this episode, we're spiraling into the weird, fascinating, and sometimes unsettling world of memory. We talk about childhood memories, photographs, family stories, first-person vs. third-person memories, and why some moments from our past feel crystal clear while entire chunks of our lives seem to have disappeared. We're also getting into false memories- how they happen, why they can feel completely real, and how our brains can take bits and pieces of real experiences, stories, images, emotions, and assumptions and turn them into something that feels like a full memory. Plus: Why can you forget an entire birthday but vividly remember the weird soap in your grandma's bathroom? Why do certain smells instantly transport you back in time? And how much of what you "remember" actually happened the way you remember it? Because memory isn't a recording. It's reconstruction. So... how much of your past is actually your memory? Welcome to the spiral.

  5. Sep 11

    The Empty Nest: Grief, Freedom, and Finding Yourself Again

    Your kid is leaving for college. You're proud. You're excited. You're terrified. You're grieving. You're relieved. Maybe you're feeling all of those things at once. In this episode of Shrinks on the Brink, Austin and Kellie take on the complicated reality of the empty nest. Not just the sadness of your child leaving, but the identity shift that comes with it. What happens when your role as parent changes? What happens when you suddenly don't know where your kid is, what they're doing, or when they'll call? What happens to your marriage when the kids aren't there to fill the space? And why can feeling relieved actually be completely normal? We'll talk about grief, attachment, boundaries, anxiety, relationships, identity, independence, and the uncomfortable question so many parents eventually face: Who am I when my child doesn't need me in the same way anymore? Because maybe an empty nest isn't just an ending. Maybe it's an opportunity to figure out what comes next.

  6. Sep 1

    The Mental Health System... Please Hold

    You Asked for Help... Now What? We tell people to speak up. We tell them to ask for help. We tell them mental health matters. But what happens when you finally do? In this episode of Shrinks on the Brink, we take a hard look at what happens after someone reaches out for mental health care. Inspired by a woman's story of walking into an ER at a moment of crisis - only to leave feeling dismissed - we explore the frustrating gap between knowing you need help and actually being able to access it. As therapists who have experienced the mental health system from both sides, we talk about the realities clinicians face, why hospitalization is often considered a last resort, what happens when someone is "not sick enough" for inpatient care but is clearly not okay, and the enormous gaps between crisis care, outpatient treatment, and everything in between. We talk about waitlists, insurance, Medicaid, Community Mental Health, lack of resources, the impossible position clinicians can find themselves in, and the uncomfortable truth that sometimes the person asking for help is expected to navigate a complicated system at the exact moment they are least equipped to do so. Because "you don't need to be hospitalized" does not mean "you don't need help." And if we are going to keep telling people to ask for help, we have to start asking a bigger question: What happens when they actually do? You asked for help. Now what?

  7. Aug 25

    Human Trafficking: Sexual Exploitation, Grooming, and Trauma with Kathryn Pazienza

    Human Trafficking is often imagined as something that happens to someone else - somewhere else. But trafficking can occur in our own communities, and it can involve both children and adults. In this episode, we sit down with Kathryn Pazienza, a survivor of sexual violence and an advocate who is working to brin greater awareness of exploitation and trafficking to our community. Kathryn shares her experience of being sexually assaulted at 14 and the disturbing circumstances surrounding it - including the way multiple men discussed her body and treated her as though she wasn't even there. We also take a broader look at human trafficking: what it actually is, how trafficking can affect both adults and children, the difference between trafficking and related concepts like sexual assault and grooming, how traffickers exploit vulnerability, why leaving isn't always as simple as "just walking away," and what parents, professionals, and communities, should understand about recognizing exploitation. Kathy is also involved with a local women's organization working to bring the documentary Ring of Silence to our community and hopes to become ore involved in local anti-trafficking efforts. This is a heavy conversation - but it's an important one. Understanding what trafficking actually looks like is one of the first steps toward recognizing it and responding differently. Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual assault of a minor, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, trauma, and suicide. Resources: • National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 • RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE (4673) • Michigan VOICES4: 1-855-864-2374 • National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: report.cybertip.org 811

  8. Aug 18

    Same Parents, Different Childhoods

    What happens when four sisters who grew up in the same family sit down and compare notes? In this special girls' weekend episode, Austin and Kellie bring their sisters along for an unfiltered conversation about growing up together, remembering things differently, sibling dynamics, family roles, and the ways our childhood experiences can shape who we become. It's lighter than our usual episodes, but there's still a little psychology sprinkled in - because we are therapists, after all. Expect stories, disagreements, laughter, and probably a few revelations along the way. Same parents. Same family. Completely different experiences.

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5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Shrinks on the Brink is a mental health podcast where Kellie and Austin talk life, burnout, and the beautifully messy in-between - all with a dash of humor, a heap or honesty, and the occasional "wait, should we be saying this?" Because yes, we're licensed... but we're also low key losing it.

Information

  • Creator
    Austin and Kellie
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    66
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Austin and Kellie
  • Show Website
    Shrinks on the Brink